Slow cooker

Freezer friendlyGreat for batch cookingRecommended for a 3.5 litre slow cooker

Slow cooker Beef Beef shin Mushrooms One pot Family meals Freezer friendly Make ahead

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Slow cooker

Tags: Slow cooker, Beef, Beef shin, Mushrooms, One pot, Family meals, Freezer friendly, Make ahead

Slow Cooker Beef Shin, Mushroom and Tomato Orzo

Name: Slow Cooker Beef Shin, Mushroom and Tomato Orzo
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 505 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 750 g beef shin, cut into 4 cm chunks; 1 large brown onion, finely chopped; 2 carrots, peeled and diced; 2 cloves garlic, finely grated; 2 tablespoons tomato purée; 400 g tin chopped tomatoes; 500 ml hot beef stock; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika; 250 g chestnut mushrooms, quartered; 150 g orzo; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped; 1 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste; ½ teaspoon black pepper

Tender beef shin is slow-cooked with mushrooms, onion, carrot and tomatoes until rich and savoury, then finished with orzo for a comforting one-pot family meal. Serve with steamed greens or a simple salad.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hr 25 min
Servings: 4

Slow Cooker Beef Shin, Mushroom and Tomato Orzo recipe photograph

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5 litre slow cooker
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon
Ladle

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
750 g beef shin, cut into 4 cm chunks
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
2 tablespoons tomato purée
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
500 ml hot beef stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
250 g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
150 g orzo
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper

Substitutions

Beef shin → Beef chuck or braising steak (Cut into similar-sized chunks and cook until completely tender.)
Orzo → Small pasta such as macaroni or risoni (Check the packet cooking time and adjust the final cooking period.)
Chestnut mushrooms → Closed-cup mushrooms (Slice or quarter them before adding.)
Worcestershire sauce → 1 teaspoon soy sauce (This adds salt, so taste before adding extra seasoning; soy sauce contains soya and may contain wheat.)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the beef with the salt and pepper, then brown it in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
Add the onion and carrots to the frying pan and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until starting to soften. Stir in the garlic, tomato purée, oregano and smoked paprika for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and hot stock. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan.
Pour the tomato mixture into the slow cooker. Add the mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce, then stir to combine. Make sure the beef is mostly covered by the liquid.
Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
Stir in the orzo, cover again and cook on low for a further 30–40 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The orzo should be tender and the sauce thickened. Add a splash of boiling water if it becomes too thick before the pasta is cooked.
Check the seasoning, stir through the parsley and serve piping hot with steamed green vegetables or salad.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container within two hours. Keep for up to 3 days. The orzo will continue to absorb sauce, so add a little water or stock when reheating. Defrost: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight in a covered container. Use within 24 hours of fully defrosting, then reheat until piping hot throughout. Do not defrost at room temperature.

Reheat in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, stirring regularly, or in the microwave in covered portions. Add a splash of water or stock and reheat until piping hot throughout. Do not reheat more than once.

Spoon leftovers into a lunchbox or use them as a filling for baked peppers. Loosen with a little stock before reheating.

Allergen information

Contains wheat and gluten from the orzo and Worcestershire sauce. Check stock and sauce labels for additional allergens. The soy sauce substitution contains soya and may contain wheat.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the beef with the salt and pepper, then brown it in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.

Add the onion and carrots to the frying pan and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until starting to soften. Stir in the garlic, tomato purée, oregano and smoked paprika for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and hot stock. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan.

Pour the tomato mixture into the slow cooker. Add the mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce, then stir to combine. Make sure the beef is mostly covered by the liquid.

Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the beef is very tender.

Stir in the orzo, cover again and cook on low for a further 30–40 minutes, stirring once halfway through. The orzo should be tender and the sauce thickened. Add a splash of boiling water if it becomes too thick before the pasta is cooked.

Check the seasoning, stir through the parsley and serve piping hot with steamed green vegetables or salad.

Swaps and substitutions

Beef shin → Beef chuck or braising steak

Cut into similar-sized chunks and cook until completely tender.

Orzo → Small pasta such as macaroni or risoni

Check the packet cooking time and adjust the final cooking period.

Chestnut mushrooms → Closed-cup mushrooms

Slice or quarter them before adding.

Worcestershire sauce → 1 teaspoon soy sauce

This adds salt, so taste before adding extra seasoning; soy sauce contains soya and may contain wheat.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly

Yes

Batch cooking

Suitable for batch cooking

Storage

Reheating

Leftover ideas

Spoon leftovers into a lunchbox or use them as a filling for baked peppers. Loosen with a little stock before reheating.

Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

Adjust servings

Cooking time may not change in direct proportion to serving size.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

750 g beef shin, cut into 4 cm chunks

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, finely grated

2 tablespoons tomato purée

400 g tin chopped tomatoes

500 ml hot beef stock

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

250 g chestnut mushrooms, quartered

150 g orzo

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon black pepper

Slow Cooker Beef Shin, Mushroom and Tomato Orzo

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

Slow Cooker Beef Shin, Mushroom and Tomato Orzo

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

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